3. The Education Division performs the following functions, within the areas of its concern:

Formation of long-term, medium-term and annual plans for the Central and the State/Union Territories levels, defining the phases in which they should be implemented, assigning their inter-se priorities and resource allocation;

Coordination of the education plans of the States/Union Territories and the central agencies including the University Grants Commission and the National Council of Education Research and Training as well as of the national-educational plan with the development plans in other sectors, assessing and indicating adjustments needed in the plan policies, programmes and priorities so as to achieve national goals and objectives;

In support of the above functions, maintain educational statistics and undertake/promote/support research studies and surveys covering –
(a) Generation, collection, compilation and analysis of data and relevant information
(b) Programme evaluation and prognosis and
(c) Alternative and/or supplementary measures and new policy initiatives in the field of education;

Collaborate with and/or advise/assist the concerned Government Departments, international organizations and other agencies like NUEPA, NCERT, UGC in matters such as;
(a) Foreign technical assistance for education development;
(b) Training of educational planning functionaries;
(c) Administrative reforms, innovations and experiments bearing upon economy efficiency and effectiveness of educational services; and

Examine resource mobilization and low cost strategies/alternatives and make recommendations in this regard;

Review of Committees and Commissions, Central Advisory Boards and Annual/Five Year Plan;

The technical staff of the Division is also working on the Educational Statistics received from the MHRD, and the Department of Statistics and other agencies.

Art and Culture

The functions of Education Division are primarily to provide over-all policy and guidance in formulation of plans and programmes for preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the country. These are plans/programmes of the Ministry of Culture, whose main activities are of archaeological excavations, promotion of visual and literary arts, preservation of the material and non-material heritage, developing of museums, libraries and institutions. A number of institutions have been actively associated with the promotion, preservation and dissemination of rich cultural heritage of India.

Youth Affairs and Sports

The Education Division also looks after the over-all planning and policies of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports take steps to channelize the energy of the youth into constructive work and to inculcate in them noble and patriotic values. These programmes stress promotion and up-gradation of necessary life skills amongst the youth through vocational training besides creating employment opportunities for them. Efforts are made to involve youth in national building activities. The Division also addresses issues relating to promotion of sports, sports talents and sports infrastructure in States/UTs.